Shock-absorbing bed



Feb. 6, 1923,

W. O. BROYLES SHOCK ABSORBING BED.

FILED AW 23, 1920.

INVENTOR 14 0 590 YLES.

ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 6, 1923..

entree srrss WILLIAIVI OZE BROYLES, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAIJA.

sHocK-eBsorueING BED.

Application filed April 23, 1920. serial No. 376,157.

To aZZ w ham it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM O. BnoYLns, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Birmingham, in the county of Jefferson and State of Alabama, have invent-ed .certain new and useful Improvements in a Shock-Absorbing Bed, of which the following is a specification.'

My invention relates to an improved type of bed having a supporting means capable of absorbing or minimizing shocks and vibrations so that the occupant of the bed-will not be disturbed or annoyed thereby.

l have found in many instances, especially in the case of patients at hospitals and of persons troubled with nervous diseases and insomnia, that their rest is greatly disturbed by the jars and vibrations which are transmitted to them through the bed, and particularly through metal beds.

I have conceived that if a bed can be produced, without greatly increasing its cost or making it unattractive in appearance as compared with the standard bed, which will protect its occupant from jolts and jars, it will fill a widespread present need, and to this end I have designed a bed which, in its preferred form, comprises two frames, one forming a support having preferably the general appearance of a bed frame, and the other forming the bed proper which is so mounted on the supporting frame as to accomplish the ends in view as aforesaid. The support may be formed by any suitable element whether attached to or forming part of the building or compartment in which the bed is located.

' My invention is capable of embodiment invarious designs and materials and it is therefore to be understood that in this specification I have sought merely to illustrate formally what I have so far found to be the preferred embodiment of my invention.

According to the drawings Fig. 1 illustrates a bed. 1 accorc lance with my invention viewed in perspective.

Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation of one end of the bed illustrating a typical. 'slioclr absorbing broken joint connection between the bed and its support.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view shown. in. partial end elevation of one corner of the bed.

Similar reference numerals refer to sim ilar parts throughout the drawings;

The bed as illustrated is composed of two main elements, onebeing the supporting element which rests on thefloor and the other the supported element which carries the springs and jmattress anc'l forms the bed proper.

The supporting element, as illustrated, comprises similar head and foot frames 1 which are formed of an inverted U-shape from standard metal tubing provided at their lower ends with casters 2 and with joint members 3 for engagement with stand-v ard side rails 4:. It is to be noted that these side rails 4 are connected to the frames 1 near the floor and this is preferable by reason of the fact that the bed proper is suspended from the upper portions of the head and foot members 1 and by this arrange'ment the latter are more capable of yielding towards each other and of exerting a greater bending stress of the side rails l to thereby cause the supporting frame itself. to

be substantially yielding or spring-like and thus itself,.if necessary, forming the sole absorbing shock support for the bed proper. The supportedelement'of the bed, which may be more accurately termed the bed proper, is of standard bed construction with the exception that the posts of itshead and foot frames 5 are extended only a short distance below the point, of connection therewith of the side rails 6. The side rails 6 of the bed proper are appreciably shorter than the side rails 4, thus permitting the bed proper to be suspended free for limited movement between the head and foot'frames 1, hanger rods 7 being'used as the suspension means and having their lower hook ends adapted to engage in the open lower ends of the posts of the head and foot, frames 5 while their upper ends aresuitably" connected to the sides of thejhead and foot frames 1 near their top, this connection preferably being made to hooks 8 with short coil springs 9 interposed as a connecting link. By reason of the fact that the load strain from the bed proper is sustained directly by the posts or sides of the head and foot frames 1, the latter frames do. not need i to be cross connected and can be formed as shown by a single arch, but the head and foot frames 5 ofthe bed proper are cross connected as usual and preferably are in every respect of standarddeslgn with the presenthead and foot frames of metal beds.

The bed proper is so suspended as to have the necessary free play laterally and endwise to, prevent contact with the supporting frame proper and is adapted to receive the usual bed springs so that when the bed is made up it is not materially dissimilar in appearance from the present standard beds.

I claim for this improved type of bed that the spring or yielding support of the bed proper will absorb all jolts and jarsand permit the patient to rest with a delightful sense of ease quite impossible to attain with the present standard type of bed.

The distinctive feature of my invention is that the bed proper shall be so su oportedby the supporting element, whatever it may be, as to avoid the transmission of shocks and this may, be done asishown or -by any nonrigid or broken joint connection which will prevent the appreciable conduction of vibration or shock from the floor or support to the bed proper.

This inventionis not intendec. to be restricted in scope to the specific embodiments shown, but contemplates such modifications as come within the spir t and scope of the claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In a bed of the character described, a bed proper comprising rails, head and foot members having vertical tubular side posts projecting just below the side rails and leit open at their lower ends, a supporting element in the form of a bed frame having head and foot members spaced to permit the bed proper to swing freely lengthwise between them, and having side rails connecting its head and foot members below the level of said side posts, and hangers connected at each side to the upper portion of the head and foot members of the supporting element, each hanger comprising a coil spring, and a rod having its lower end bent to project upwardly into the open bottom end of a side post to thereby suspend the bed proper tree for predetermined lateral endwise and vertical play.

In testimony whereof I my signature.

-WILLIAM OZE BROYLES. Witness NoMIn VVELsH. 

